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Dog owners should stop training their dog if it gets anxious in the process, according to new “health and welfare” guidelines drawn up by the McGowan Government.

The 43-page draft document, which tells people how to take care of man’s best friend, sets out a host of “standards and guidelines”, some of which would potentially carry penalties. They include:

Training should be stopped or modified when it causes the dog to be anxious or distressed;

Minimum size dimensions for doghouses and kennels;

Avoid speed bumps when driving with their dog and carry a canine first-aid kit when going for a run;

Motorists drive with care and try to minimise bumps, jolts and swerving;

Pets be restrained during transport to prevent distractionand risk of injury;

Dogs not be tethered for a period exceeding two hours in 24 hours.

The document, currently out for community feedback, outlines a bevy of “minimum standards” and guidelines for looking after dogs with the potential for the government to set penalties for some of the rules at a later date.

The plan was drawn up by Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan’s department.

She was unavailable for comment yesterday but her spokesman defended the rules, saying they could protect dog owners from cruelty allegations.

“The guidelines are voluntary,” the spokesman said. “They set out the best practice for caring for dogs, and may protect dog owners who are doing the right thing from spurious animal cruelty allegations.

“Examples of standards include not branding a dog with a hot iron and not leaving a dog in a car on a hot day — acts of cruelty that the community would expect government to take seriously.”

RSPCA Australia said the guidelines did not go far enough and there should be a total ban of electronic collars.

The chief executive of WA’s peak dog owners association Dogs West, Ann Rushby, said it was concerned legislation may make it difficult for people to source a “pedigree companion” if “onerous restrictions” were put in place around the breeding of dogs.